Fortune's Fool
by FrameofMind
Summary: Complete. Ranma finally musters the courage to admit his feelings to Akane, when they are interrupted once again. Will Ranma lose the love of his life? Rated R to be safe. Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma in any way, shape, or form. I'm only borrowing him for the time being, and promise to return him unharmed. crash …uh, oops. Well, mostly unharmed (smiles sheepishly).

Author's Note: I am new to ff.net, and to this sort of thing in general, and as such, I am quite unskilled at the process of posting a fanfic (I'm a techno-ditz, okay?). Anyway, this being the first chapter of my first fic, actually posting it is sort of an experiment. Hopefully I'll get better at this. The writing part is fine; it's the computer geek stuff that gets me. I'm better with books. Oh well.

    So, please read and enjoy. This fic is written in rough-draft form in a notebook on my desk, and about half typed so far. I hope to finish typing and revising it by the end of Christmas break. I'll try to post chapters as quickly as I can. Following chapters will probably be longer, but as I said, this is sort of an experiment.

    Okay, enough babbling, on with the story!

Fortune's Fool 

Chapter 1

    Ranma paced nervously outside the entrance to the dojo, contemplating what he was about to do. He'd been thinking a lot lately, ever since their return from China and the 'almost wedding' that followed. Akane's near death experience had prompted him to reflect on their relationship thus far -- the good and the bad. It was never boring, that was for sure. He remembered the insults they'd traded almost constantly since the day they'd met. He remembered those all-too-rare, quiet moments between them, when he'd managed not to offend her, and she smiled that smile of hers, making him forget to add the 'kune' to 'kawaii'. He remembered the numerous battles and kidnappings from which he had rescued her in the past year. And freshest in his mind was the vivid memory of her lifeless body, cradled in his arms, and the desperate hopelessness that had consumed him as he begged her to wake. In that moment he'd known without a doubt that he needed her as he'd never needed anyone before in his entire life. The fear that he'd lost her had been enough to finally make him realize that he loved her.  
  
    But unfortunately, old habits die hard. Once he was satisfied that she was safe, his old fears of rejection and vulnerability had overpowered his heart, and he'd denied his feelings to her as always, trying to close Pandora's box, as it were. Since the day they first met, when she'd found out about his curse, she'd been calling him 'baka' and 'hentai'. What if she really meant it? There were times when he hoped that her words were as empty as his had always been. But then there were the other guys who wanted her, guys who didn't turn into girls. Especially Ryoga. She was always so nice to him, scolding Ranma for picking on him, in either form. That idiot. What if she really cared for him?  
  
As weeks passed, Ranma had come to the realization that it was time to act. There were too many 'what if's. He needed to tell her the truth. Jusendo had made him realize that life was short, and if he waited too long, he might find one day that it was too late.  
  
So here he was. Every time he thought he had himself pulled together enough to go through with it and turned to go inside, a fresh wave of fear came crashing over him and he went back to pacing. 'What will she say?' he thought for the millionth time. 'What if she...'  
  
"No," he said aloud, stopping the familiar train of thought that had been spinning in his head for the past few days, "I've put this off for far too long." And with that he clenched his fists and strode into the dojo.  
  
The sight of her there, as she practiced, was nearly enough to shatter his fragile resolve, but he was strengthened by the warm, contented feeling forming in his chest. For a moment he just watched her until, finally, she sensed his presence and turned to look at him.  
  
"Oh, hi Ranma," she frowned slightly in confusion at his uncharacteristic expression. He looked...apprehensive.   
  
"Is something wrong?" she asked, concerned, to which he shook his head 'no'. He seemed unable to speak.  
  
Finally, he found his voice and managed to say "Uh...A-Akane, can I...um...talk to you for a minute?"  
  
"Sure," she answered, growing more and more curious as she settled herself in a kneeling position on the floor. Ranma sat across from her, fidgeting and staring at his hands.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he began, "A-Akane, y-you and I...w-we've known each other for a while now, and..." his heart began to beat faster, "w-what I mean is...I mean I know we fight and all but..." frustrated with himself, he took another deep breath and forced himself to look directly into her eyes, which stared back at him still puzzled and uncomprehending, "Look, the truth is, I love you, okay? I'm in love with you..."  
  
Her eyes widened in shock and tears began to form. He looked back at her intently, trying to read her reaction, but all he could see was surprise. Was she upset? Was she going to hit him?  
  
"Oh Ranma, I-" she began, but never got the chance to finish, for at that moment an earsplitting explosion rent the air directly above them. The dojo roof supports splintered and the entire ceiling came crashing down upon them.  
  
"Akane!" he shouted, terrified as the image of her in his arms, unconscious and pale as death, flashed trough his mind. Desperately, he dove forward in an attempt to shield her from the debris.  
  
When the dust had settled, he slowly sat up, shifting the remnants of wooden beams and sheet rock from on top of them carefully so they wouldn't collapse further and crush them. Akane lay unconscious on the floor, but the gentle rise and fall of her chest reassured him that she was breathing. He knelt beside her, worry etched on his face as he observed the nasty cut on her forehead. He quickly checked for other injuries but, aside from some minor cuts and bruises, none were apparent. Then he gently cradled her in his arms and picked her up to head for the nearest hospital.  
  
* * *  
  
For three days she lay unconscious in her room at the hospital, and in that time Ranma never left her side. He barely slept, and for that matter, he barely ate. All the while, he played their last conversation over in his mind, again and again. What had she been about to say? Did she love him too? Or had those tears in her eyes been tears of pity?  
  
Late one night, as he drifted into a rare and fitful sleep, these thoughts filled his dreams.  
  
Ranma waited for her reaction, scarcely breathing.  
  
"Oh Ranma, I'm so sorry, but I...I'm in love with Ryoga. I always have been, you see, ever since the day we met. I-I thought you knew..."  
  
Her words cut into him like a knife. She loved Ryoga. Ryoga. Pig-boy.  
  
"But...you and I..." he trailed off.  
  
"I'm sorry Ranma, but I think it's best if we call off the engagement. You see, Ryoga has asked me to marry him and I've accepted."  
  
"That's right," came Ryoga's voice from behind him, uncharacteristically confident. Ranma whirled around to glare at him. Then he turned back to Akane.  
  
"But he's P-chan! He's got a Jusenkyo curse too, and he's been-" but he stopped in surprise when she merely smiled and laughed lightly.  
  
"I know all about that Ranma. I've known all along. Why do you think I let him sleep in my bed? Anyway, it's better for a man to turn into a pig than a woman. At least he doesn't lose his manhood."  
  
He gaped at her, extremely hurt, but she didn't seem to care. Then he felt a tap on his shoulder...  
  
He slammed the startled Lost Boy against the wall, shouting "Ryoga, you sonofabitch, what the hell do you think you're doing asking Akane to marry you!!"   
  
"W-what! What the hell are you talking about?!" Ryoga shot back. Realizing what he was doing, Ranma released him and backed away, looking apologetic.  
  
"Oh, sorry. I-I was dreaming."  
  
Ryoga scowled at him, annoyed, but soon turned to Akane with a softened expression, asking in a concerned tone, "How is she?"  
  
"No change," Ranma replied, his voice heavy, a bit more gruff than usual. Ryoga merely nodded.

A/N: Well, that's all for the moment. What do you think? Please review, and trust me, it gets much better. I think I finally figured out how to get this to work, so hopefully I'll get another (much better) chapter out within a day or two. See you soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Alas, Ranma-sama doth not dwell among those items which I do call mine own.

Author's Note: Wow! I have reviews! I'm so excited! I'm really glad you guys like the story so far. I hope I keep living up to your expectations. If it gets too sappy or too OOC or anything, let me know and I'll see what I can do. It's so hard to tell when you're writing these things how it comes off to others. Especially since I've read it, like, five times now, so I'm getting super critical.

    In response to people's comments, don't worry, the roof thing will be explained later on (btw, Cat H, do you remember the name of that story you mentioned? It sounds interesting). Also, I promise I won't leave this fic unfinished. I hate it when people do that. I will do my best to update frequently, but I only have about half the story typed on my computer, and I suck at typing, so it takes forever. But the more reviews I get, the more energy I get, so maybe that will help.

    As promised this chapter is longer. In fact it's probably a bit longer than most will be, but I couldn't find a good stopping point any earlier, so this is what I ended up with. It should explain the story further.

    Okay, I'll shut up now. Here's the story!

Fortune's Fool

Chapter 2

On the evening of the third day, Ranma sat, as always, by her bedside, her hand clutched in both of his. His eyes were hollow, his face drawn from worry and lack of sleep. He knew the doctors were worried, that she should have awakened by now. He could tell by the look in their eyes when they came to check on her, although they tried to reassure him. But after three days of this, with no change, even he had begun to doubt that she would recover.  
  
"Akane," he whispered, "Please come back to me. I need you. Without you I..." he trailed off. Even when she couldn't hear him it was difficult for him to put his feelings into words. Words had never been his strong suit.  
  
Ranma heaved a sigh and stood, turning to gaze out of the window. The sun was just disappearing over the horizon, the clouds reflecting its last fiery rays in brilliant hues of orange, pink, and purple.  
  
Suddenly, every one of his senses perked up as he heard Akane stirring. He rushed back to her bedside, relief washing over him as her eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Akane, are you all right?"  
  
Her eyes came to rest on him and she fixed him with a blank stare. "Yes, I'm fine," she replied, sitting up, "A bit stiff maybe, and I've got one hell of a headache but..." she frowned slightly at his intent gaze and haggard appearance, "I'm sorry, do I know you?"  
  
'What the hell is she...' The bottom dropped out of his stomach. 'Oh my god,' he thought, 'She doesn't recognize me! That blow to the head must have affected her memory.'  
  
Pulling himself together, he answered somewhat croakily, "Yes. My name is Ranma Saotome. I'm your fia-uh, your friend," he finished a bit awkwardly. Somehow he couldn't bring himself to tell her the truth just yet. It would probably only make her uncomfortable and lead to a lot of difficult questions.  
  
Just then, a doctor entered the room. "Ah, Miss Tendo, glad to see you're awake! I must admit you had us worried there for a while. How do you feel?"  
  
"Fine, pretty much, except...I-I can't seem to remember what happened to me, or anything else for that matter."  
  
"Hmm," the doctor's face took on a worried expression, "Sounds like you have some form of amnesia."  
  
"A-amnesia?" she questioned, nervously, unconsciously drawing a bit closer to Ranma.  
  
"Yes. But I wouldn't worry too much about it yet. These things are often temporary. I'll have to run some tests."  
  
"But you can help her, can't you?" asked Ranma, and Akane thought she detected a slightly desperate note in his determinedly even tone. Once again she noticed the circles under his eyes and the strain in his face. She wondered why this man was so very intent on her well-being. He had said he was a friend, but she sensed that there was something else; something he wasn't telling her. He looked as though he hadn't slept in a week.  
  
"We'll do the best we can, I assure you. Call me if you need anything," He excused himself and left the room, leaving them alone once again.  
  
Ranma looked slightly uncomfortable. Akane took pity on him and said, "No offense or anything, but you look terrible. You really should get some sleep."  
  
"Yeah, I guess so," he replied, rising and turning to leave somewhat reluctantly. At the door he paused, debating whether to say something else, but finally just added, "Take care of yourself, and call me if...if you need anything. The doctor will know where to reach me."  
  
"Okay, thanks...Ranma was it?"  
  
"Yeah, Ranma," he confirmed as he was leaving, and she smiled kindly at him. Outside her closed door, he ran a hand through his hair and whispered to himself, "your fiance."  
  
* * *  
  
Over the next few days they kept her at the hospital for observation. Her waking hours were filled with tests and visits from friends and relatives, none of whom she remembered. It was difficult for her to see the recognition in their faces and be unable to return it. And on top of that, she was beginning to get the feeling they were keeping something from her. It drove her nuts.  
  
But most difficult and confusing were her nights. They were filled with dreams of disjointed images and impressions in no particular order, yet somehow she seemed to feel they were memories; shadows of a very real past -- her past.  
  
"...you will marry him, and inherit the dojo..." her father's voice echoed in her head..."...you jerk! There's no way I'm marrying a pervert like you!"...came her own voice...and then there was a flash of a golden bandana and a warm body cuddling with her in bed...the sounds of two teenaged boys fighting..."I know he'll come for me," her own voice again, "I believe in him..."..."...my fiancee! Touch her and I'll kill you!"...that voice was so familiar, but who...  
  
She woke with a start in her dark hospital room. 'fiancee...' the word echoed in her mind. 'So that's what everyone's been hiding' she thought, 'I'm engaged, and apparently to someone I hated. Heh, no wonder they didn't tell me. Then again..."...my fiancee! Touch her and I'll kill you!"...' the words drifted through her consciousness, but still the voice was indistinct, almost distorted. A residual wave of affection spread through her at the thought. 'Maybe I did have feelings for him after all. Now all I have to figure out is who...'  
  
Finally, the doctor informed her that she would be allowed to return home, as her physical injuries were completely healed. He suggested, however, that she might wish to seek out further psychiatric aid in recovering her memory.  
  
At first she was pleased that she would be returning home, but that initial reaction was soon overshadowed by a growing fear. What would it be like, living in a house she didn't remember, surrounded by the strangers who knew her? At least at the hospital, she could escape their pained expressions after visiting hours, but at home... 'No,' she told herself forcefully, 'If there's any hope of recovering my memory, I've got to stop hiding. Although everyone seems anxious for me to remember, they keep avoiding telling me anything too specific. I suppose they want me to discover it on my own,' Still, it was frustrating.  
  
In fact, she was quite right. The doctor had informed the Tendos and the Saotomes that the best thing they could do for Akane was to try to treat her normally and surround her with familiar things and activities, but to avoid telling her anything too specific. According to him, her particular type of amnesia caused her memories to retreat to the subconscious level, and therefore the easiest way to reach them was through the language of the subconscious itself; namely, reflex. The familiar surroundings would stimulate her subconscious memories, allowing them to gradually reform in her conscious mind. However, direct information might be misinterpreted, thereby disrupting the process and causing gaps and misconnections, even altering her previous perceptions. In short, it could change her.  
  
So, in accordance with the doctor's instructions, they had all agreed not to reveal to her any more than the simplest details, especially her engagement to Ranma.  
  
That evening, Akane returned home to a warm welcome.  
  
"Akane, dear, we're so glad you're home!" said Kasumi, embracing her sister, "Why don't you just leave your things here by the door and go on inside. Everyone is anxious to see you."  
  
Akane smiled and thanked her, and then proceeded into the dining room, where she saw her family crowded around the table. Her father and sisters had visited her in the hospital, so she recognized them. She also identified the man named Ranma, who'd been with her when she awoke. He'd been back to visit her several times in the hospital, but he always seemed a bit ill at ease, more so than the rest. She supposed it was because they had obviously been close friends, but there was something else she couldn't quite put her finger on. Sitting across from her father was a man in a gi, with a handkerchief covering his bald head. Though she had never seen him, she supposed this must be Genma Saotome, friend of her father. Finally, she noticed standing in a corner, observing quietly, a young man dressed in a yellow top and green pants, his arms folded across his chest, intense green eyes kind, but sharp. He was very handsome. Then her eyes fell upon the yellow and black bandana bound around his head, and all at once impressions like those in her dreams found their way, unbidden, into her conscious mind.  
  
...closeness...cuddling...unconditional affection...trust...strength... cuddling in her -- bed?  
  
She put a hand to her forehead, trying to sort out her confused thoughts, and once again the word 'fiancee...' seemed to float through her mind. Could this be him? Her fiancee?  
  
When she looked up again, she found him staring at her, and the affection in his eyes was unmistakable.  
  
"Hi," he said crossing to stand before her. He looked a bit nervous, "It's me, Ryoga. I'm your...your friend as well. I heard about what happened and I'm so sorry I wasn't there, but..." he trailed off. 'This has to be him,' she thought. It all seemed to fit. She smiled back, and both of them failed to notice as Ranma's jaw tensed, his eyes fixed on the two of them.  
  
She let Ryoga lead her to a seat at the table, and he settled himself next to her. She couldn't explain why, but she felt immediately comfortable with him, as though he were someone she was used to confiding in.  
  
As for Ryoga, he was positively delighted by the attention Akane was paying him. In the past, she'd always been focused on that cretin, Ranma, though not in such a pleasant manner. She kept smiling at him affectionately. Once, they both reached for the salt at the same time, and their hands brushed lightly, causing them both to blush. Whenever Ryoga would say something, she listened intently, and vice versa.  
  
Ranma, on the other hand, grew more and more agitated as the meal wore on. He kept casting sidelong glances down the table at the two of them, scowling at their shameless flirting, but they were too preoccupied with each other to notice. 'Honestly, it's not like her to be so forward...' he paused mid-thought, doubt creeping in, '...or maybe just not with me.' His scowl deepened as his self defense instincts took over, 'That stupid, kawaiikune-- no, that's not true. Dammit, I promised myself I would stop doing that. I'm through lyin' to myself...and to her,' he glanced in her direction, 'But look at the two of them...'  
  
Her laughter brought Ranma back to the present as she touched Ryoga's arm lightly. "Oh, Ryoga," she smiled at him again. Ranma, unable to take it anymore, rose abruptly and strode outside wordlessly, seeking his usual refuge: the roof.  
  
There he sat, staring up at the stars. 'Why?' he thought plaintively, 'Why then? Why did she have to get injured before she could even answer me? Now it looks like she's falling for Ryoga, and I don't even know if that's... I mean, what if that's how she always...' he trailed off, unable to even finish the thought. He tried once again, as he had countless times, to think back to that night, tried to read the expression on her face, the tone of her voice when she'd been about to answer. 'Oh, Ranma, I...' Was it affection? Or was it pity? From the looks of things now, he feared it might be the latter.  
  
After about an hour, once he'd had a chance to calm down a bit, Ranma returned to the dining room. Dinner was over and the others were sitting around talking, but Akane stood off to the side, leaning against the doorframe and gazing out across the lawn. She didn't seem to notice him. 'It must be hard for her, not remembering anything,' he thought. He made a move to go comfort her, but thought better of it.  
  
Just then, "Ranma!" shouted a familiar, high-pitched voice from behind him, and he spun around just in time for Shampoo to throw her arms around his neck, crushing up against him. Almost immediately, he was released as a swift blow to the side of his head sent him crashing into the wall. Slumped on the floor, he looked up to see Akane glaring at him. But...?  
  
Akane frowned and looked at her fist, puzzled, then back at Ranma, who was watching her, almost...hopefully?  
  
"Ohmigod! I'm so sorry! I have no idea why I did that. Are you okay?" she asked, crossing to help him up. At her words Ranma's shoulders seemed to slump a bit, and the hopeful look she thought she'd seen disappeared.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. After all, you -- never mind," he replied, "I think I'll go to bed. G'night everybody," And with that, he shuffled off toward the stairs. Shampoo, stunned be Akane's odd behavior, followed.  
  
"Yeah, I think I will too," said Akane after a moment, still a bit shaken by the experience.  
  
* * *  
  
When Ranma entered his room, he was startled to find that Shampoo had followed him.  
  
"Gah! Shampoo, what are you still doing here?!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Why violent girl act so strange after she hit Ranma?" she asked suspiciously.  
  
"If you must know, she has amnesia, okay? She doesn't remember anything...including me," he added, a note of sorrow slipping into his impatient tone, "And the doctor said we're not supposed to tell her anything, so don't go blurting out to her that she's my fiancee or anything like that. She's supposed to figure stuff out on her own. Now go on and get out of here. I gotta get some sleep."  
  
Shampoo nodded and obeyed, barely able to contain her excitement. Now was her chance to steal Ranma for herself! With Akane constantly ignoring him, he was bound to turn to her!  
  
* * *  
  
When Akane reached her room, she closed the door and leaned back against it. 'That was really weird,' she thought. For an instant, just as she'd hit Ranma, it was like, in her mind, the world around her turned upside down. It was as if she had been staring at a window with the shades closed, trying to make sense of the shadows as they passed by. But for an instant, the blinds were thrown open, revealing the outside world, only to be quickly shut once more, leaving her in darkness. Suddenly, she'd known without a doubt that everything she'd figured out so far was somehow...wrong. The only thing that was right was that punch, a crazy, reflex response to seeing that girl glomp Ranma. But as the moment faded, so did that certainty, and she realized how ridiculous it all sounded. Still, it frightened her. It had been so clear...  
  
She took a deep breath to calm herself, and made ready for bed.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, Ranma stood in the yard, looking at the damaged dojo. He'd been so preoccupied with worry over Akane that he'd never really gotten around to thinking about how it had happened. What had caused the roof to cave in like that?  
  
He supposed it could have been an accident, as a result of the structure being weakened by repeated battles. However, that seemed unlikely, especially considering the number of people who wanted to kill him or Akane, or both. It was just a little too convenient. Still, would anyone they knew really resort to this?  
  
With a heavy sigh, he turned back toward the house, resolving to give the matter further consideration later on. Right now, he had other things on his mind.

A/N: Ooh, the plot thickens! Please review. Every little bit helps!


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Here it is folks! Sorry for the wait. I wanted to post this chapter yesterday, but we had people over for New Year's and I couldn't get to the computer (long story). Anyway, thanks again to all who reviewed, especially to Cat H (I read that story, btw. It was really good! I'll have to keep an eye on that one. But yes, it is quite different from mine). Your review made me notice a thing or two that I had overlooked, but I made a few minor adjustments and I think I smoothed it out.

    In reference to the title of this fic, it's from a line from _Romeo and Juliet, _act III, scene 2. Just after Mercutio dies, and Romeo kills Tybalt, Romeo says, "O, I am fortune's fool!" Basically, at this point in the play, his life is going to hell in a hand basket, and he's saying that fate seems to be toying with him. I figured, what better way to describe our favorite, pigtailed martial artist. Once again, fate is having a laugh at his expense.

    All right, enough with the literary history lesson. Back to the story.

Disclaimer: Well, no, _technically_, he's not mine, but in the theoretical sense, since I can **_perceive_** of a Ranma who _is_ mine, than he **_must_** exist. (Anyone familiar with St. Anselm? If you are, congratulations on being super smart. If you're not, then never mind, philosophy joke. Don't worry; it's not that funny anyway ;)

Fortune's Fool

Chapter 3

"No one's gonna take her from me! Akane's mine, and she's engaged to meee!"..."I-I like you just the way you are! Please don't fight anymore..."..."If I give up now, how will I ever get you back?!"..."I-I love you..."...love you...love you...  
  
Akane awoke with a start. She'd had another one of those dreams -- no, not dreams, _memories_ -- full of blurred faces, and voices she couldn't quite identify.  
  
'Ryoga,' she thought, 'It was Ryoga, wasn't it? That makes sense. It sounded like him.' Didn't it?  
  
Well, at least she knew for sure that one of the voices was hers. But what did she mean by, "I like you just the way you are?" It was just one more question to add to the list. With a weary sigh, she got up and dressed.  
  
When she left her room, she nearly collided with Ranma, who looked lost in thought.  
  
"Oh, hi Ry -- uh, Ranma. Is something wrong?" she asked when he looked at her vacantly.  
  
"What? Oh, no it's, uh, nothing," Did she just call him...? Nah.  
  
"Oh. Well, see you later," she said. He watched her as she walked passed him and down the stairs.  
  
She was surprised to find Ryoga at the table, because she knew he didn't live there, but she supposed he'd stayed over that night. She had a crazy impulse to hurl an insult at him, which made no sense whatsoever, but she suppressed it and sat down next to him. She couldn't understand why, but she found that even though she was happy to see him, she constantly had to bite back completely unprovoked insults throughout their conversation. Oddly enough, Ranma, who'd arrived a little while later, seemed to notice.  
  
"So, how are you feeling today Akane?" asked Ryoga, warmly.  
  
"I'm fine, baka," Akane muttered in reply, immediately gasping is surprise and slapping a hand to her mouth as everyone gaped at her. Ranma looked almost as hurt as Ryoga. 'That's strange,' she thought, 'I had no idea they were so close. I was under the impression they didn't get along too well.'  
  
"I'm so sorry Ryoga, it just slipped out. It's the strangest thing. I keep having to bite my tongue to avoid throwing out these nasty remarks, especially at you. I don't understand it. It's like I have a bunch of them stored up and I can't figure out how to get rid of them."  
  
Everyone exchanged glances as though understanding something she didn't.  
  
"What?" she asked, suspicious.  
  
"Uh, it's nothing," Ranma said quickly, refusing to look at her. She looked at him a moment longer, then sighed and returned to her meal.  
  
Moments later, a familiar, and quite unwelcome, voice rang out across the yard.  
  
"Saotome, thou art a villain!" Kuno leapt over the wall, bokken at the ready.  
  
'Oh shit, not now,' Ranma thought, getting up to intercept him.  
  
"I shall smite thee, vile sorcerer, that thou shouldst dare imprison the beauteous Akane Tendo, whom thou hast the insolence to claim as thy--" wham!  
  
Ranma managed to knock Kuno senseless in time to keep him from blurting out the nature of Ranma and Akane's relationship. He heard her gasp behind him.  
  
"What did you do that for? Who was that guy?" She looked quite startled. He almost laughed, for she would hardly have asked such a thing under normal circumstances. Hitting Kuno was a daily activity for them.  
  
"Don't worry about him. He'll be fine," he assured her. Glancing back at the unconscious man lying nearby, a worry crossed his mind. "Uh, Akane, maybe it would be better if you didn't go to school. I mean, you're still recoverin' and all," The truth was that it had just occurred to him how popular his and Akane's relationship tended to be, gossip wise, not to mention idiots like Kuno challenging him left and right. The odds that she could make it through an entire day without hearing it mentioned were slim at best.  
  
"I think I'll be fine," she said, frowning at him curiously, along with everyone else. Ranma caught Ryoga's eye and indicated Kuno with a raise of his eyebrows. Ryoga nodded, comprehending.  
  
"No, Ranma's right. I really think you should stay here," he added, sincerely. "After all, uh, with all those people...and you wouldn't remember anything you were studying...well, it might be just a bit too stressful."  
  
"Yeah, right. You should take it easy," Ranma encouraged. The girl looked suspiciously between them for a moment. Truth be told, she was sort of dreading encountering more friends she didn't remember. Besides, it might be nice to spend a bit more time getting to know Ryoga.  
  
"Okay, maybe you're right," she conceded, and both boys breathed a sigh of relief, "I'll stay home." She smiled at Ryoga as she said this, and Ranma, his mood darkening once more, grabbed Kuno roughly by the collar and dragged him off towards Furinkan High.  
  
* * *  
  
"Aiyaa! Nihao, airen!" Shampoo's bike landed on top of Ranma, causing him to release his hold on Kuno as he fell to the ground.  
  
"Shampoo, dammit, get off me!" he growled. Why could she not understand that crushing someone with a bicycle on a daily basis was not an ideal way do gain their affection? 'Just what I needed,' he thought, wryly.  
  
She complied, asking, "What happen to Bokken Boy?"  
  
"Who, Kuno? He was being annoying as usual," Ranma dusted himself off. She 'hmm'ed, disinterestedly.  
  
"So, Ranma, when you go to date with Shampoo? Tonight?" she asked expectantly.  
  
"How many times do I hafta tell you 'no'? Look, this isn't a good time, okay?"  
  
"But airen-"  
  
"No," he interrupted, his patience wearing thin, "Just leave me alone, will ya?" He grabbed Kuno once again and continued down the street, leaving a disappointed Amazon behind him.  
  
* * *  
  
Two weeks went by with little improvement. Kuno continued to appear from time to time, only to be swiftly dispatched by either Ranma or Ryoga. Shampoo was persistent as well, taking advantage of every opportunity to get Ranma alone. Even Kodachi showed up a couple of times, but usually ended up arguing with her brother, a situation that invariably ended with each of them knocking the other unconscious. As such, she was almost helpful, for she saved Ranma and Ryoga the trouble of dealing with Kuno themselves.  
  
Ryoga continued to stay at the Tendo residence, unwilling to leave Akane. This served to irritate the hell out of Ranma, especially since Akane was paying a great deal more attention to Ryoga than to him. Three months ago, he would have insisted that he didn't care one way or the other, but it would have been a lie. He had decided, no more self-deception. Now it was all he could do not to take her in his arms and kiss her until she remembered him and, hopefully, loved him too. It was amazing, the effect of a little soul searching. The mere thought of such a bold action would have scared him senseless before.  
  
* * *  
  
One afternoon, Ryoga mustered the courage to ask Akane to go on a walk with him. Neither of them noticed Ranma's eyes burning into their backs as they disappeared out the door.  
  
The couple chatted about ridiculous things, laughing, enjoying the sunshine and each other. Before they knew it, they found themselves at the park.  
  
"You know, it's funny," Akane began thoughtfully, after a lull in the conversation, "I only remember -- I mean really remember -- knowing you for about two weeks, but somehow I have this feeling that I've known you a lot longer. It's...comfortable, to be with you," She smiled at him, "I guess that sort of makes sense, doesn't it, considering the fact that I have known you for some time, even though I don't actually remember it. Now I'm just confusing myself," she sighed, lightheartedly.  
  
Ryoga glanced sideways at her, " I think I understand. To tell you the truth, I had a similar feeling when I first met you. You were so kind to me when I -- uh, cough -- when I needed it," he narrowly avoided mentioning 'P-chan'. Though he had every intention of telling her his secret eventually, now was most definitely not the time to do so. 

    Stopping, he sat her down in the shade of a large oak tree, settling himself next to her a bit nervously. "Akane, there's something I've been meaning to tell you for a while now," he said, refusing to meet her eyes, until she coaxed his head up by tilting her own to look at him.  
  
"Yes, Ryoga?" she said softly.  
  
"Akane," he took her hand, "I care for you a great deal. In fact...I love you, Akane."  
  
"Ryoga," she leaned a bit closer, "I love you too," The joy and relief in his eyes was unmistakable. He had never been one for tempering or hiding his emotions.  
  
"Oh Akane, you've had my heart since the day we met, but I was so afraid to tell you. If you had rejected me, I don't know what I-" She placed her fingertips lightly on his mouth to silence him, but soon replaced them with her lips. He kissed her back, softly, tenderly, his arms wrapping around her to pull her close. She felt so safe and comfortable in his embrace, as a myriad of images chased each other about her brain, finally coming clear. She saw Ryoga, rescuing her, dueling for her on countless occasions. Her brow furrowed slightly, however, as some detail seemed to snag in her mind. She ignored it, as they broke apart, smiling at each other. She looked deep into his eyes and...that was it, his eyes! Hmm...  
  
"Ryoga, did your eyes used to be blue?"  
  
He looked back at her, puzzled, "I don't think so. Why?"  
  
"Oh, nothing," she brushed the thought aside, "The few memories I've managed to recover are still a bit jumbled, that's all. In some of them, I could swear you had blue eyes. Crazy, huh? Come on, let's go home," She smiled and stood, offering her hand, which he gladly accepted, and they headed back in the direction of the dojo.  
  
* * *  
  
Unable to endure the frustration of being at the Tendo house, waiting around for Akane and Ryoga to return, Ranma had taken to the rooftops, and was now wandering aimlessly around Nerima, lost in thought. As he passed by Ucchan's, he noticed it was dark, and the closed sign was up. It had been a while since he had seen Ukyo herself. Come to think of it, she hadn't been around since before...the accident. His brow creased in slight suspicion.  
  
'Nah, what am I thinking? Ucchan would never do a thing like that. It's not her style. Kodachi, yes. Shampoo, maybe. But Ukyo?' She was his oldest friend. He knew her better than that. Still, he couldn't help but wonder where she'd gone. She hadn't even said goodbye.  
  
* * *  
  
Shampoo stood at the stove, cooking her noodles halfheartedly. Ever since Akane had been injured, it seemed that Ranma paid Shampoo even less attention than usual. He only brushed her aside, ignoring her completely in favor of that violent tomboy, who, in turn, ignored him. She and Ryoga seemed to be hitting it off now. Shampoo had thought that if Akane fell for someone else, Ranma would surely have come running to her, Shampoo. On the contrary, he was now even more preoccupied with Akane than before.  
  
She heard Mousse come up behind her and place a hand on her shoulder. She immediately shrugged it off saying, "Go away, Mousse," though it frustrated her how weak her voice sounded.  
  
"Shampoo, I only wanted-"  
  
"Shampoo say go!" she whirled at him, then tried to hide her face as tears of frustration welled in her eyes. She had tried so hard to make Ranma love her, but he seemed only to slip further and further away. Now Akane was falling for someone else, and that only caused him to slip further. She knew he was out of her reach now. She didn't want to admit it, but she had lost. Ranma didn't love her. He never would.  
  
Despite her efforts to stem the tide, her tears began to overflow. She fell to her knees, weeping, and when Mousse knelt beside her in concern, she surprised him by throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing into his shoulder.  
  
Shock mingled with joy on his face as he held her gently, rocking her back and forth. He made no declarations of undying love, nor did he beg her to marry him. He just held her, comforted her, sensing that that was what she needed most at the moment.  
  
After some time, when her tears had subsided, Shampoo just sat, cradled in his arms. She felt surprisingly content. Mousse could be very understanding, it seemed: very perceptive. Slowly she pulled back and looked into his beautiful, turquoise eyes, too often hidden behind those glasses of his. "Thank you," she said quietly.  
  
He simply nodded, and brushed a lock of lavender hair away from her face. When his hand brushed her cheek, she felt an odd tingling sensation. She gave him a weak smile as he stood and helped her to her feet. He turned to go, leaving her to her cooking, but paused in the doorway to look back at her. "If there's anything you ever need, I'm always here, Shampoo." This time it was she who nodded. Then, without another word, he left.  
  
Shampoo stared after him for a moment, then returned to her noodles with a small sigh.

A/N: Ahh, another day, another chapter. Incidently, for all you Shakespere buffs, Kuno's line, "thou art a villain," is a direct quote of Tybalt, in the same scene of _Romeo and Juliet_ from which I derived the title for this fic. 

    Keep reviewing (feedback is very helpful)! I hope I can type fast enough so that my posts don't catch up to my writing. But I'm still okay at the moment, so that's good. 

    Oh, and Cat H, Kuno's appearance here is dedicated to you, since your review gave me the idea for it ;) And to all my loyal readers, whomever you may be, goodnight!


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Yea! Reviews! I love reviews! You guys all make me feel so loved! Okay, now to business. As far as the length of this fic, I believe it is about half over. The thing is that as I type it from my rough draft I keep adding new stuff, so it gets longer. As of now though, my guess would be maybe three or four chapters to go.

    Hana-chan, I like that idea for a fic. To tell you the truth, I've toyed with similar ideas in my head, so I just might take you up on that. If I do get a chance to write it, I promise to let you know ;) 

    Finally, fair warning to all, this is the chapter that earned the fic it's rating. But it's not too intense, I don't think. Well, just read and find out.

Disclaimer: Ranma's not mine, but I wrote this really cool story about a guy named Mike once! Mike IS mine! Ha! So there! … Uh no, he's not in the fic…but he's MINE! (Mike is waaay cooler than stupid old Ranma. Who needs him anyway? Oh yeah…I do. *grin*)

Fortune's Fool

Chapter 4

Swish! Kick! Leap! Land!   
  
Akane and Ryoga were practicing together in the dojo one evening. They seemed to move so well together, parrying each other's strikes. It was like a well-planned dance. Finally, they came to rest, standing just a few feet apart, facing each other.  
  
Akane smiled warmly at him, "That was a really good match. Thanks, Ryoga,"  
  
"Yeah, it was," he replied, gazing back at her. Their eyes met, and they moved toward each other. Her arms went around his neck and his around her waist, pulling her against him for a gentle, yet passionate kiss.  
  
Just outside the slightly open door, standing in the shadows, Ranma froze, his eyes unblinking, his jaw and fists clenched, seething with jealousy and anger at the sight before him. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. This was too much. Ryoga had gone too far. Ranma couldn't take it anymore.  
  
Slamming the door all the way open with a loud bang, he stormed into the room. The noise caused the couple to break apart, startled.  
  
"Ryoga, I wanna talk to you," Ranma's voice was dangerously low, indicating he wanted to do a great deal more than talk. He scowled at Ryoga's arm, which was still around Akane's waist. Ryoga looked back at him, annoyed at the interruption, and Akane just stared between them, puzzled. When Ranma moved forward further, Ryoga released Akane and stepped aside, preparing to fight.  
  
"How dare you?" Ranma said, his voice still furious, "How dare you kiss her?"  
  
Akane, still confused, and now a bit irritated herself, spoke up indignantly, "Why should you care? After all, he is my fiance."  
  
Ranma and Ryoga's heads snapped toward her, stunned expressions on both of their faces. "What?" they asked, in unison.  
  
Akane looked from one to the other. "Ryoga's my fiance. I figured that much out my first day back here. I knew there was something people weren't telling me, and when I recognized his bandana I-" she blushed slightly, "well, I put the pieces together and it all made sense."  
  
"Uh, Akane..." Ranma began, not sure how to explain. After all, the doctor said...but he couldn't let her go on thinking she was engaged to Ryoga. He glanced over at Ryoga, who looked a bit guilty, and about as lost for words as he was.  
  
"What? What is it?" Akane began to look concerned. Then Ranma got an idea.  
  
"Come here," he said, grabbing her wrist, dragging her outside and across the lawn to the koi pond, Ryoga following close behind. Then, releasing her, Ranma dove headfirst into the water.  
  
She clapped a hand to her mouth, stifling a surprised gasp as a red-haired, female Ranma emerged from the pond. Akane's eyes went wide as a deluge of images flooded into her mind. She sank to her knees, pressing her hands to her temples. She remembered. She remembered everything. Not just random images anymore, like looking at someone else's photo album, but memories; _her_ memories, of _her_ life. Slowly, she looked up at Ranma, who knelt before her, looking concerned.  
  
"Ranma," she whispered. For the first time in weeks, he could see true recognition in her face. The weight that had been bearing down on him fell away. She remembered him.  
  
He jumped in surprise when he felt hot water being poured on him. He hadn't noticed Kasumi's approach, so intent was he on Akane.  
  
"Thanks, Kasumi," he muttered, and extended a hand to help Akane up. Her expression was clouding a bit now, and she looked over her shoulder at Ryoga, then back at Ranma, her eyes troubled. She turned away from him, walking toward Ryoga, and Ranma's smile faded. She muttered something he couldn't hear, and the two of them walked toward the house. Ranma's eyes, usually bright and full of life, were dull, his expression like stone, as she walked away...with Ryoga.  
  
* * *  
  
Ranma sat on the roof, staring into space, the dull, hollow look in his eyes as apparent as ever. He glanced up at the night sky, which usually gave him such peace, but that seemed now only to mirror the vast emptiness he felt within his heart.  
  
'She chose Ryoga,' he thought numbly, for the hundredth time. He'd been dreading this since the day he went into the dojo to tell her that he loved her. He supposed a part of him had been dreading it even longer. After all, she'd always been so kind to Ryoga, even before her amnesia, and it was obvious how much Ryoga cared about her. Perhaps all that had stood in their way was her engagement to Ranma. With that removed, she hadn't felt guilty about acting on her true feelings.  
  
Yet still, he could scarcely believe it. What about all they'd been through? Had it really meant nothing to her? Had he really been so blind?  
  
'Stupid, kawaiikune tomboy...' he flinched as his own words echoed in his memory. It was his own fault. He'd driven her away. Any chance they'd had for a relationship had been ruined by his own foolish pride and insensitivity.  
  
"Akane..." he murmured, miserably.  
  
"Ranma?" Akane's voice said softly from behind him, causing him to start. She came forward to sit next to him, and when he didn't speak, she continued, "Ranma, I need to explain something to you."  
  
"It's okay. I understand. You fell in love with Ryoga," he said dryly, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice. He continued to stare straight ahead, refusing to look at her.  
  
"Yes, but it's not that simple. See, after I lost my memory, I started having these dreams full of vague impressions and images, things people had said; but I couldn't make sense of them. I could sort of remember things like when Kirin and Tomah kidnapped me, or the skating match against Sanzanin, and I remembered that someone protected me. I also had a vague idea that I had a fiance," she paused to look at him, but his expression was unchanged.  
  
Taking a breath, she went on, "When I came home, and I saw Ryoga's bandana, for some reason I-I associated it with..." her face went red, "with, um, cuddling -- in bed. I guess I was still pretty confused, 'cause I'm really not sure where that came from," Ranma seemed to have tensed a bit and was listening more closely. "Anyway, I drew the obvious conclusion that he was my fiance. In my dreams at night, I saw him protecting me from Sanzanin and rescuing me from Kirin.   
  
"Ranma...it was because of all those things I thought I remembered about him that I...I fell in love with him. The truth is, I was already in love with the man in those dreams, and even though I thought I saw Ryoga's face, or heard his voice, the words and the actions were always...yours."  
  
Whatever he had been expecting, it wasn't that. He turned to stare at her, hardly daring to believe what he heard.  
  
"Ranma, what you said the-the night the dojo roof fell in...is it still true?" her voice was quiet, slightly nervous, her eyes pleading, looking deep into his.  
  
His astonishment blocking his words, he raised a hand to her cheek, searching her eyes as if unsure that he wasn't dreaming again. Finally he found his voice, "Akane, I realized a long time ago that I loved you. I just couldn't seem to...I...I was afraid you might not..." he trailed off, words failing him once again. Instead, he pulled her into his embrace and crushed his mouth against hers. She sank into him willingly, all of their emotions, held inside for so long, finally expressed. When they pulled back, smiles on both of their faces, he wiped a tear of happiness from her cheek.  
  
"You have no idea how I've wanted to hear you say that," she whispered, "I love you Ranma, so much."  
  
"I love you, Akane," It was as simple as that, and yet it was the world to both of them. "I've been suck a jerk," he said, trademark half-grin sliding into place. "I wanted to tell you, but somehow I always ended up insultin' you instead. So many times I thought I'd lost you, and you would never know the truth. And then, when I finally got it right..." his eyes shadowed slightly, and his expression turned inward, "For a while, I was afraid you'd never wake up. Just like..."  
  
"Phoenix Mountain," she finished, and he nodded.  
  
"When you finally did, you didn't remember me, and you...the way you looked at Ryoga all the time made my blood boil. It was all I could do not to..." he blushed slightly, and the grin retuned, almost sheepish this time.  
  
Akane, hearing this, took a deep breath and said, "Ranma, I talked to Ryoga. I explained to him why I acted the way I did. He-He seemed to... understand. I just wanted you to know that it was you I fell in love with; memories of you. Even in my confused state, when I thought it was Ryoga, I...I still saw your eyes. It's always been you Ranma."  
  
Once again, they closed the distance between them with a kiss. Her hands fisted in his hair as his strong arms pulled her closer. His hands caressed her back, his mouth moving over hers with a yearning that scared her, all the more because she felt it within herself. 'I want you, Ranma,' she thought, 'so badly...' His hand slid to her side, near her breast.  
  
Her eyes snapped open and she hastily pushed him away, gasping for breath, her heart pounding.  
  
"What? I'm sorry," he said, startled at the slightly panicked look in her eye.  
  
"No, no it's okay. It's just..." her face reddened at what she'd been thinking only moments before. What he'd been thinking...  
  
"Maybe we should go to bed," he said.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Th-that's not what I meant! I-I meant our own beds."  
  
"Oh," she said, relieved, but she could hear a slight note of disappointment in her own voice.  
  
"Come on," He scooped her up in his arms and hopped in through her open window. As he lay her gently down upon the bed, he stayed bent over her, fixing her with his gaze. "You really are beautiful, y'know," he whispered, making her smile up at him in the darkness. He gave her one last goodnight kiss and turned to go. She bit her lip, the taste of him still lingering upon them, as she watched him cross to the door.  
  
Then, just as he turned the knob and opened it, she said, "Ranma, wait," He turned, a questioning look on his face. "Stay with me?" her voice shook a bit, and her eyes were wide in the darkness. His eyes grew wide to match, and he swallowed hard.  
  
"Um, Akane, I don't know if that's such a good idea."  
  
"Oh. I understand. I mean, if you don't want to..."  
  
"No, no, it's not that!" he said quickly; gods, how he wanted to! "It's just...I mean we might end up...you know..." he trailed off, too embarrassed to finish.  
  
"I know," she replied, "and I'm still asking."  
  
He swallowed again. 'I should just leave now, before anything... She'll probably hate me tomorrow if I stay. But...' "Are you sure?" he asked. She nodded. His will power crumbled and he closed the door, crossing back to her. Their pulses raced as they looked at each other. Then she reached for him, pulling him toward her for a kiss; one full of hunger and passion and anticipation.   
  
He crawled under the covers, lying practically on top of her, exploring her mouth with his tongue, making things up as he went along. Neither of them really knew what they were doing. She fumbled with the ties of his shirt, eager to get it off and feel the bare flesh of his firm body with her hands. Finally, she was able to toss it aside. She gasped when his hand caressed her breast before going to remove her pajama top, leaving her chest bare. Then his lips trailed down her neck to her collarbone. He could hear her heart racing in time to his own, feel her tremble when his calloused hand touched her bare breast.  
  
He delighted in the pleasure he sensed from her. A moan escaped her as his teeth closed gently, teasingly, over her flesh. Her hand slid down over his back toward his hip, and he gasped when it slipped beneath his waistband to caress him. Soon, she removed his pants. Her breath caught when his hand brushed against her hipbone as he tugged at her waistline, removing the last obstacle between them. Both of them were trembling more now than ever, when he forced himself to pause, pull back a bit to look her in the eye and ask, "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"  
  
Unable to speak, she swallowed and nodded, her heart pounding in her ears. Flesh on flesh, they clumsily, nervously, made love. Their breathing was shallow and uneven. She gasped and clutched at him, biting back a scream when she felt the pain of his penetration. He held her, gently, until it subsided and he felt her relax again. The two moved together until finally, they both came to rest, satisfaction spreading through them. Pools of moonlight reflected softly over the lovers' shared bed as they fell asleep in each other's arms.

A/N: See, it wasn't too intense was it? Geez this was hard to write, especially since I had no personal ahem experience to draw from, only romance novels, other fics, and my imagination. If it sucks, tell me, please ;)

    Also, I want to let you all in on a little secret: I am a diehard Akane/Ranma fan. I don't even _read_ fics that pair them with anyone else. A universe where those two don't end up together is a paradox, in my opinion (no offense, if you disagree). However, Ryoga is probably my single favorite character, so I like to include him a lot (he's so sweet!). I wanted to reassure people earlier, but I just had to see if I could write such that the end wasn't obvious from the start. I'm glad to see that I could, as some people asked if they would really end up together. Now I guess the question is whether I pull it together convincingly enough in the end. Any thoughts?

    As always, reviews are appreciated!


	5. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Okay before you kill me, let me explain why I haven't updated for a week. First of all, school started again, which means, of course, mountains of homework (ugh). Plus, the term is ending soon, so there's even more work than usual. Also, I'm currently in an opera, so I have rehearsals every day. And to top it all off, I was in a car accident on Wednesday (my week, eh?), so I've been dealing with that. No one was hurt, luckily, but I got some bumps and scrapes from the airbag, not to mention some very stiff muscles. Anyway, I finally had a chance to complete another chapter, so here it is. Sorry for the wait ;)

    If I'm really good, I may be able to finish typing the rest of the story this weekend, which will make updating much easier -- but I wouldn't count on it. I'll try!

    Thanks for all the lovely reviews, as usual ;)

Disclaimer: Okay, I have completely run out of ideas, so here is the most boring disclaimer I can think of -- Ranma is not mine.

Fortune's Fool

Chapter 5

The early morning sun streamed through the window onto Akane's closed eyelids. She opened them sleepily, and slowly became aware of Ranma's presence, his strong arms wrapped around her protectively, lovingly. A smile crept across her face, not to mention a slight blush, as she recalled the previous night's events, and she snuggled a bit closer, feeling as if they were the only two people in the world.  
  
Ranma began to stir, and she turned in his embrace so that she could see his face. His eyes focused on hers, a sleepy smile playing at his mouth. He gently brushed a stray lock of hair back from her face, saying softly, "How are you? Are you okay?"  
  
She saw the hint of worry behind his eyes, and reassured him with a smile, "I'm perfect. Never been better. What about you?"  
  
He relaxed, "Absolutely."  
  
"Good," she sighed contentedly and rested her cheek on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, which was strong and sure, like everything else about him. As chaotic as her life had become ever since he'd arrived, he himself was a constant. When she was in trouble, he always came for her, even if he insisted that he wasn't doing it for her sake. Even though he changed gender more often than he changed clothes, he was always sure of who and what he was on the inside. His strength was not merely physical, but strength of will, strength of the soul. She supposed it was all of this and more that made her fall in love with him.  
  
True, he had his faults. An uncanny talent for putting his foot in his mouth was among the first to come to mind. He could also be prideful and arrogant at times. But then, so could she. Besides, without his flaws, he wouldn't be who he was. It all came down to one thing; she loved him, and he loved her. That outweighed any reasons she could think of not to be with him.  
  
Just as she was about to drift off again, a thought occurred to her and her eyes snapped open. "Ranma, what are we going to tell everyone?" she lifted her head to look at him, "I mean, our fathers will go insane trying to get us married again, Nabiki will sell the info to the highest bidder (I don't even want to think about that), and Kasumi will -- well she certainly won't approve."  
  
"What," he frowned slightly, "of me?"  
  
"No, of course not of you, just of what - er - happened last night."  
  
"Oh, good point. Well then, I guess we're gonna have to keep it a secret."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"Hmm," he pondered for a moment, then said, "I'll grab my stuff and go up on the roof. I sometimes sleep up there anyway, so Pop'll never suspect a thing. Other'n that it's just a matter of not telling anyone and trying to act as normally as possible. You told them you got your memory back, right?"  
  
She nodded. "Okay, I guess that'll work; for now, anyway."  
  
"I'd better go."  
  
She nodded again, reluctantly. He climbed out of bed, and she watched him get dressed. Then, just as he was about to leave, his shirt half-buttoned, he paused, crossed back to her, and kissed her goodbye.  
  
"I'm glad you're back," he muttered softly, smiling down at her, "Bye."  
  
"See you soon," her expression mirrored his own. Then, in one swift movement he was out the window, swinging up to the roof.  
  
* * *  
  
Ranma arrived at breakfast after Akane, taking his regular spot beside her. Ryoga had apparently left for who-knows-where, as usual, since he was nowhere to be found. The couple carefully avoided each other's gaze, certain that they would be unable to hide anything if their eyes met. She disguised her refusal to look at him with an expression of annoyance, not unusual for her, and he merely concentrated on his food.  
  
"So Akane, how are you feeling this morning?" asked Soun. She jumped at the directness of the question, but then realized he was referring to the return of her memory, and relaxed a bit.  
  
"Fine, Father. In fact, I feel wonderful," she couldn't hide the smile on her face, but hoped it wouldn't be conspicuous. Ranma's face reddened slightly, as he caught the implied meaning in her words, but no one took notice.  
  
"That's good. It's been so difficult these past few weeks."  
  
"Yeah, it has," Ranma agreed, noticing too late the frankness that was obvious in his tone.  
  
She hastened to cover it, "I would have thought you'd be glad to be able to spend time with your _cute_ fiancees, without me to hold you back, hentai," Her voice was wry, as usual.  
  
He looked slightly hurt for a split second, then caught on to the glint of amusement in her eye and countered, "Yeah right, except you still pounded me, even though you didn't remember. Stupid, kawaiikune tomb--"  
  
"Aaaurgh, Ranma no baka!" she yelled with a slap across his face, but he noticed that it packed considerably less power than her usual blows. She polished off the last of her breakfast and got up, "Why don't you just marry one of those other bimbos then, and see if I care? Honestly, I almost wish I _didn't_ remember you!" With that, she stormed over to the door, grabbing her bag on the way. "Well, are you coming to school or not? Baka," she muttered.  
  
He shoveled in the rest of his food and followed her, grumbling. She rolled her eyes and they left the house. As soon as they were safely out of sight and earshot, they both burst out laughing.  
  
"I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" she asked, gasping for breath.  
  
"Nah, it wasn't nearly as hard as usual. I just hope no one noticed," he grinned back at her, "That was kinda fun, y'know?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't know how long we can keep this up though," She rested her forearms on his shoulders, linking her fingers behind his neck. He nodded in agreement and moved in closer, backing her against the concrete wall that lined the street, so that she was pressed up against him. "Ranma," she chided, with a sly smile, "Someone might be watching."  
  
Casting a glance over his shoulder, he leaned in and stole a rather long, lingering kiss.  
  
Neither of them noticed a pair of eyes go wide with shock, hurt, and frustration from the shadows of a nearby alley.  
  
* * *  
  
"Saotome, thou deceiver of women, namely the pigtailed goddess and beauteous Akane Tendo, stand and fight! I, Tatewaki Kuno, Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall cut thee to ribbons!"  
  
Ranma stood in the courtyard of the high school, gazing at Kuno disinterestedly as he delivered his usual nonsense. He glanced over at Akane, who looked back at him, saying, "You want to do it, or shall I?"  
  
He quirked a smile, "I've had enough of him, tryin' to keep him away from you for the past two weeks. Go ahead, be my guest." Returning his grin, she marched forward.  
  
"It is my lady; O, it is my love! Most beautified Akane, I shall allow you the honor of a da -- Ooof!" She landed a punch right on target, sending Kuno sprawling.  
  
"Man, that felt good!" she laughed, then murmured, "I'm back."  
  
* * *  
  
Instead of assuming his usual perch atop the fence on the way home, for once Ranma stayed on the ground, preferring to walk next to Akane.  
  
"You know, what I can't figure out," she said pensively, "is how I got the idea that Ryoga and I were -- I mean that we had..." she noticed Ranma tense a bit, wondering if he was jealous. "What?" she asked.  
  
"Uhh...nothing," he disappeared around the corner and hopped over the wall surrounding the Tendo residence, heading for the dojo.  
  
"Oh no you don't," she muttered, chasing after him. She found him in the dojo, preparing to exercise. He seemed unwilling to meet her gaze. "What is it Ranma? What are you not telling me? Ranma--"  
  
"You don't understand," he looked at her, obviously frustrated, but not so much with her as with himself. "I can't tell you. I...I promised," his eyes took on a slightly pleading look, "Believe me, you have no idea how much I've wanted to tell you but...you're just gonna have to ask Ryoga, that's all."  
  
"Ryoga?" she looked puzzled, "Okay, fine, I'll go look for him then."  
  
A moment or two after she left, he paused, considering. If she found Ryoga and he told her, she would undoubtedly be furious. She'd probably beat the living crap out of him, and he, Ranma, had been hit by her enough times to know how painful that could be -- especially for Ryoga. After all, the poor guy really loved her. 'Maybe I'd better go along, just in case,' Ranma thought. In a moment he was out the door, telling himself it was only to protect Ryoga from Akane's anger, that he wasn't the least bit worried about her being alone with him. Once she found out he was P-chan, she'd hate his guts...wouldn't she?  
  
Despite his rationalization, he couldn't ignore the slight twinge of jealousy at the memory of Akane and Ryoga kissing only the previous night.  
  
He caught up to her a few blocks away, staying out of sight, not anxious to find himself on the receiving end of her wrath when she located the Lost Boy. He would only step in if necessary.  
  
* * *  
  
"Nihao, Mousse," Shampoo said cheerfully, returning from a delivery. She whisked by him and into the kitchen. Mousse just watched her, his table cleaning all but forgotten. 'She's so beautiful,' he thought, 'and she's been surprisingly cheerful lately, since that day in the kitchen. It's good to see her back to normal after the way she was so depressed for a while. I wonder what made the difference?'  
  
A lighthearted tune floated into the room when she began to hum an old Chinese love song, and a troubling thought occurred to the young Chinaman. 'You don't suppose she's gotten through to Ranma do you? And here I was really starting to believe he had no designs on my lovely Shampoo. But she would never hum like that for me -- only for him. Always for him.' His face fell, and he returned to his cleaning, dejectedly.  
  
She reappeared in the main room, still humming happily, but stopped short when she noticed Mousse's expression. "What wrong Mousse?" she questioned, concerned.  
  
"Nothing," he mumbled, too depressed now to realize that Shampoo rarely, if ever, showed concern for him. The girl watched him sadly for a moment, disappointed at his dismissal. Her demeanor did not, however, go unnoticed by the old woman who observed silently from the back of the room.  
  
'So,' Cologne thought, 'the girl does care for him after all. Indeed, I suspected as much.'  
  
* * *  
  
'Akane,' The name echoed in the mind of the Lost boy as he trudged wearily along a city street. He had no idea where he was, even what city he'd managed to end up in this time, but he hardly cared. All that mattered was that once and for all the girl of his dreams had chosen his rival. He supposed that, in his heart of hearts, he'd always known that she had feelings for Ranma, but in the past few weeks Ryoga and Akane grown so close. She'd even told him that she loved him, that day in the park. Then her memory returned, and the dream that his life had become was shattered. Shattered, along with his heart of glass. He would never see her again.  
  
"Ryoga!" He stopped, so sure he could hear her voice calling him. 'No, I'm only hearing things,' he sighed internally, shoulders slumping a bit as he made to continue.  
  
"Ryoga!" he heard again, and turned, shocked to see Akane herself jogging toward him. He watched her longingly as she approached, finally managing to fix a sad but friendly smile on his face.  
  
"Akane, what are you doing here? Or -- am I still in Nerima?" he asked.  
  
She smiled and chuckled good naturedly, "Yes, you are. Can we talk for a bit? I'm having trouble sorting out a few things from when I was...sick," she took his arm and led him across the street toward the park. Ranma followed unnoticed, fighting an instinctive wave of jealousy at their contact.  
  
"What's wrong exactly?"  
  
"Well," she began, as the noise of the street faded behind them, "The thing is I...I'm having trouble figuring out how I got the impression that you and I were...engaged. All I know is that it had something to do with your bandana, because for some reason it gave me the impression that we had...well, y'know, been in bed together," they both blushed slightly, and Ranma's eyes narrowed, "When I mentioned it to Ranma, he got all nervous and secretive, and said I had to ask you. Ryoga?" She turned to see that he had stopped a few steps back, frozen, a look of barely suppressed panic on his face.  
  
'She-she's asking me about...' he thought desperately, 'I'm going to have to tell her the truth! I can't possibly avoid it without lying. She'll hate me...'  
  
"Ryoga, what is it? Tell me!"  
  
He swallowed. He'd been dreading this for so long, and now the moment of truth had come. "Akane, y-you'd better sit down." She obliged, a look of growing concern in her eyes.  
  
"There's, uh, something you don't know about me," he couldn't bear to meet her gaze for fear of what he would find there soon, "You see, um, awhile ago, while I was chasing Ranma in search of revenge, I, uh, happened to follow him to China -- to Jusenkyo."  
  
"Oh Ryoga, you don't mean -- you're cursed too?" he nodded, "But I don't understand what..."  
  
"Please," he interrupted, "Let me finish. While I was there, I, um, accidentally fell into the spring of drowned...pig."  
  
Her confused expression slowly transformed into one of utter shock, her eyes wide, mouth agape, as she realized what he was saying, "You mean you...you're...you're...P-chan?" she squeaked breathlessly. Again he nodded slowly, and again her expression changed as shock gave way to fury, "_You're_ P-chan?!" she shouted, jumping up to face him directly, "How could you?! I-I can't believe this! I -- you've been -- all this time?!" she covered her mortified face with a hand, still stammering, "All those-those things I said when I thought I -- and no wonder -- how could I have been so stupid?! That bandana and...and all those times he just sort of showed up...not to mention the way Ranma always treated...Ranma!!! Where is he?!" she whirled around to look for him, and the pigtailed martial artist ducked out of sight, "I'll kill that baka for not telling me!"  
  
Ryoga caught her arm and she turned to glare at him. "Please Akane..."  
  
"Let go of me! I can't believe you would do something like this! I -- aaaurgh!!!" she prepared to slap him, but felt her arm restrained by a hand gripping her wrist from behind. Whirling to find Ranma there, she slapped him across the face instead with her free hand, but he caught that wrist as well, on the follow through.  
  
"Aaaurgh! You jerk! How could you not tell me! How could--"  
  
"Akane," Ranma spoke firmly, "I promised. I was the one responsible for his curse in the first place. It was the least I could do." She glared at him but said nothing. He released her hands.  
  
"Akane--" came Ryoga's voice from behind her.  
  
"Don't," she silenced him with a look as icy as her voice, betrayal etched in her face. "I don't even want to look at you right now." And with that, she left.  
  
Ranma glanced at Ryoga, who looked more lost now than he had ever seen him. It tore at his heart to see his friend in such utter despair, despite their rivalry. "Look man, just give her some time, okay. I'll see if I can talk to her." Ryoga merely dropped his chin to his chest, staring at the ground. With a last look of sympathy, Ranma turned and followed Akane.

A/N: Well, how was it? Good? Bad? An affront to the whole of literature itself? I'll do my best to update soon, and let me assure you, I still have no intention of leaving this story unfinished. I hate it when people do that ;)

Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Okay, apparently I wasn't quite as industrious as I'd hoped this week, but I did finally get around to finishing this chapter. There's only one more chapter after this, and it may be a bit shorter than usual, but there's still one or two scenes I haven't even written in draft form yet (don't worry, that won't make it take longer), so it depends on how long they end up being. Also, I'm still debating whether or not to add an epilogue. I have an idea for it but we'll see if that pans out. I'll tell you in my next update. I also have an idea for a sequel (tied in to the epilogue), but I'll tell you more about that next time too. Just out of curiosity (without knowing anything about it) would any of you be interested in a sequel? Let me know if you are; that may help me make the decision.

    Again, I am forever indebted to my loyal readers/reviewers. It's so inspiring to hear that people like stuff that I've written! Btw, CatH inquired about the part in the last chapter where Ranma referred to Akane being able to hurt Ryoga with her punches. Just to clarify, yes I was referring to emotional pain, not physical pain. I think we all remember the Bakusai Tenketsu training, involving Ryoga being crushed repeatedly by a boulder. The man is invincible physically, but as we all know, he has a "heart of glass" (That's why I love him! *grin*).

    In case any of you are interested, my car was totaled in the crash (it wasn't a very expensive car), but I got a new one with a CD player, so that worked out well. And only three more days till I'm done with math class. Yea! An end to the insanity in sight!

    Okay, I know this note was way too long, so I'll stop taking up space and let you read the story! I promise to try to update soon (it's a three day weekend, so it might happen).

Disclaimer: I know I don't own Ranma. The question is, why do you think I own Ranma? 

Fortune's Fool

Chapter 6

He found her in the dojo, practicing with unusual ferocity.  
  
"Akane," he said quietly. She ignored him. "Akane..."  
  
"What?" she snapped, stopping and turning to him. Her eyes flashed with barely contained fury and betrayal. He crossed to her, placing his hands gently on her shoulders.  
  
"He never meant to hurt you, Akane. He...he loves you." She felt his grip tighten a bit, saw jealousy flicker behind his eyes at these words. She wondered why she'd never seen it before, for it had always been there whenever P-chan or Ryoga was mentioned. "It was just a misunderstanding at first, and he was afraid to tell you, afraid of how you'd react."  
  
Tears formed in her eyes and she choked back a sob, as anger was replaced with humiliation. She fell against Ranma, beginning to cry. He just stood there, holding her comfortingly as she wept into his shoulder. After awhile, he gently picked her up and sat with her in his lap, allowing her to finish crying, waiting until she was ready to speak.  
  
She sniffed, "Why? Why did he do this? I-I'm so emb-barressed. All this time I've b-been cuddling him, a-and letting him sleep in my b-bed," Ranma tensed a bit, but she continued, "And I never knew. All the things I told him, personal things, because I th-thought n-no one could hear. He's been taking advantage of me, deceiving me." With a shaky breath she finally calmed herself. She felt quite drained now. "No wonder I remembered sleeping with him," she muttered wryly.  
  
Ranma started, "What?"  
  
"Relax, I meant P-chan."  
  
"Oh. Right," he said, calming.  
  
She smirked at him a bit, "You're so cute when you're jealous. Hey, what did you mean when you said you were responsible for Ryoga's curse?"  
  
"Well, he followed Pop and me to China, and we were training one day and I sorta accidentally knocked Ryoga off a cliff and into the spring. That's why I couldn't tell you the truth. I was honor-bound. And you have no idea how much it killed me to see you holdin' him to your chest and lettin' him sleep next to you, knowing who he really was," his eyes clouded.  
  
Mild understanding dawned on her face. "So that's why you were always picking on them -- well, him, that is," she placed a hand on his cheek and looked into his eyes, "You have nothing to worry about, Ranma. I'm not sure I ever want to see him again. But even if I did, it's you that I love. It's always been you."  
  
He returned her warm gaze, then leaned in to kiss her tenderly on the lips. She wound her arms around his neck, losing herself in his embrace. He held her close, the contact evoking memories of the previous night for both of them.  
  
Reluctantly, she broke the kiss, "Someone might be watching,"she said. "Ranma, about last night..."  
  
"Yes?" He sounded slightly worried.  
  
"Well, I just wondered...I mean...h-have you ever, um, done anything, y'know, like that before?"  
  
He smiled, relieved, "No. Never."  
  
She looked relieved as well, "So, do you want to, um, come over again tonight?"  
  
* * *  
  
A few days later, Akane strolled through the park, looking up at the darkening sky, and trying to sort out her relationship with Ranma.  
  
'It's so strange,' she thought, 'Things have never been what you could call normal between us. After all, we were engaged before either of us knew the other existed. We've been fighting it for so long, and now everything's turned upside down. I love him, I know that much, and he loves me. And now we're basically sleeping together,' she blushed at the thought, 'But does he actually want to be married to me? Do I want to marry him? If it weren't for our stupid parents and their archaic bargain we wouldn't even have to think about that right now,' she thought bitterly, 'Then we could just let the relationship develop on it's own.'  
  
'But,' nagged a voice in the back of her head, 'if it weren't for the engagement, you would never have met Ranma to begin with. Things may not ever be "normal" in your relationship, but that doesn't have to be a bad thing. Sometimes the best things come about in unexpected ways. Ranma himself was a girl when you first met him, remember?' the memory brought a smile to her face.  
  
Then, out of nowhere, she was knocked sideways to the ground by a large metal object, wielded with significant force. "Die!" yelled a familiar voice behind her.  
  
She rolled over quickly and stood to face her opponent.  
  
"Ukyo?" she breathed, shocked at the murderous glare the woman was leveling at her.  
  
"How dare you?" her voice shook with anger and a little madness, her hands clenched on the handle of her spatula, "I saw you kiss him! How dare you take my Ranchan from me?! You bewitched him, deceived him! He loves me, not you, you bitch! I'll kill you!" she swung again.  
  
Akane had never seen Ukyo like this. She'd never thought her capable of such unrestrained violence. Her blows were connecting, Akane unable to dodge Ukyo's newfound hatred. She was bleeding heavily before long, in very real danger of being beaten to death. A swift blow once again threw Akane to the ground, and she was unable to get up.  
  
Ukyo moved in for the kill, her spatula at the ready. "Stupid girl. You couldn't have done this the easy way and died when the roof fell in, like you were supposed to. But I guess I hadn't counted on Ranchan being there. Oh well, you know what they say; if you want something done right..." there was mockery in her tone and a maniacal glint in her eye as she raised the spatula high above her head. Then...  
  
"Akane! No!"  
  
"Ranma?" Akane managed to whisper hopefully.  
  
"Ranchan?" Ukyo panicked.  
  
"What in the hell do you think you're doing Ukyo!" he looked angrier than either of them had seen him since Jusendo. Snatching the spatula from the girl's numb hands he growled, "Don't you touch her. I want nothing more to do with you, do you hear me! I can't believe you would go this far! I never would have believed..." words failed him, overwhelmed with hurt and betrayal. Ukyo only stared as he twisted the spatula into a knot and threw it aside, kneeling beside Akane, with worry etched on his face. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'll live," she replied weakly, "thanks to you,"  
  
He took her in his arms and promptly set off for Dr. Tofu's, without so much as a glance for the woman he had once called 'friend'. A dam broke within her, and Ukyo collapsed into a heap on the cold ground, sobbing uncontrollably.  
  
* * *  
  
There was a soft knock on Shampoo's bedroom door. "Come in," the girl said, continuing to hang up her newly-washed clothes. She looked up to see Cologne enter.  
  
"Great-grandmother, is something you need?"  
  
The old Amazon considered her for a moment, then spoke, "Tell me the truth. How do you feel about him?"  
  
"Mousse is...sweet; always there for Shampoo when she need him," the girl responded thoughtfully, "But she engaged to Ranma."  
  
Cologne smiled amusedly, "I thought as much. Incidentally, I never said I was talking about Mousse," Shampoo froze, realizing her mistake. She'd been thinking about Mousse, and her Grandmother new it. "Relax, Granddaughter, you've done nothing wrong. So, only now have you begun to realize that you have feelings for the boy."  
  
The girl's eyes were wide with disbelief, "Shampoo love Ranma," she said, though with little conviction.  
  
"No Shampoo, I don't think you believe that any more than I do. Indeed he would make a lovely addition to the tribe," she said, almost wistfully, then hopped closer, perched upon her staff, to look her in the eye, "But that is hardly a reason to marry, is it."  
  
Shampoo met the woman's gaze, still clinging to her old convictions, her last defense against the vulnerability of loving someone with all of her heart.  
  
"Now, tell me the truth. Tell yourself the truth."  
  
Breath caught in her throat, "I...I...," She couldn't do it. She couldn't say it. If she did, it would be like giving up -- surrendering. She couldn't bear to give anyone, not Ranma, not Mousse, not anyone, such control over her. _She_ had chosen Ranma. But her heart had chosen Mousse.  
  
Her resolve crumbled. "I...I love him," she whispered, terrified, but sincere, "With all my heart." A tear slid down her cheek, and Cologne smiled, wiping it away.  
  
"There now. It is a true Amazon who has the courage to listen to her heart -- to let go of her control. It is the most frightening thing imaginable for such women as we. I have always known you to be strong. You must find the strength to be happy, the courage to love."  
  
She nodded, "I will, Grandmother."  
  
"You have taken the first step. Now, you must take the next."  
  
* * *  
  
An hour after the incident in the park, Ranma sat beside Akane's bed at Tofu's clinic. The good doctor had mended her wounds, activated a few pressure points for pain relief and healing, and informed her that she should stay the night , but that she could go home in the morning. Not surprisingly, Ranma had insisted on staying with her.  
  
Now he sat gazeing at the floor, a very troubled expression contorting his features.  
  
"What's wrong?"she asked. No answer. "Ranma?"  
  
Slowly he looked up, staring straight ahead, his eyes hollow and guild ridden, "It's my fault. You could have been killed, _both_ times, and it's my fault. If it weren't for me..."  
  
"If it weren't for you, I _would_ have been killed." she tried to reassure him.  
  
He turned to her, countering, "If it weren't for me she never would have tried to kill you in the first place. And it's not just this time. Ever since Pop and I came here we've brought nothing but trouble. I can't stand the thought of you being hurt because of me. I don't know, maybe..." he gave a defeated sigh, "maybe I should just...leave." his gaze fell to the floor again.  
  
"What?" her voice was small and she felt a knot of fear growing in the pit of her stomach.  
  
"If I left, things would go back to normal here. You'd be safe."  
  
Trying to hold back tears, she asked quietly, "Do...do you want to leave?"  
  
He looked into her eyes, cursing himself mentally for giving her that impression, "No, of course I don't, but..."  
  
"Then don't," she interrupted, and reached for his hand, "Ranma, I am safe as long as you're here. I don't care about Ukyo or any of the others. I want you with me."  
  
He was hopeful for a bit, but then remembered his other concern. "Akane, it's not just that. I mean, what about my curse? No matter how hard we try, even if the others stop attacking us all the time, we could never have a normal life. Doesn't it bother you that I..." he hesitated upon voicing one of his deepest fears -- more terrifying than cats, "that I turn into a girl?"  
  
Her face broke into an amused smile at his apparent apprehension, and she looked down at his hand, still held in her own. She gave it a slight squeeze. "No, not anymore," her voice was soft and sincere, eyes raising to meet his, "I've never known you any other way, Ranma. I love you for who you are, and that never changes. I guess I'm just so used to it that the idea really doesn't bother me at all anymore. Though I must admit," she added coyly, blushing, "I prefer kissing your guy side."  
  
He cocked an eyebrow at her, grinning. A giggle escaped her at his characteristic expression, and he responded by drawing her face toward him for a sweet kiss. When they broke apart, she 'mmm'ed contentedly before opening her eyes and grinning back at him, "Yep, definitely better."  
  
She settled back into her sitting position against the bed, and the couple lapsed into comfortable silence, hands still linked, each lost in his or her own thoughts.  
  
"Ranma," Akane began hesitantly, her voice more serious once again, " I've been thinking, and...well, we've never really talked about...the engagement."  
  
Her fiance tensed slightly, not quite looking at her, "Um, yeah, I guess not."  
  
"Well, I-I was wondering...I mean, do you want to...marry me?"  
  
He swallowed and forced himself to look at her. Why was this stuff always so hard for him? "I've been thinking too and, um, the thing is..."  
  
She began to get nervous, 'He's going to say no, isn't he? I just knew this was too good to be true. He's probably not ready to even think about marriage. If it weren't for our stupid parents!'  
  
"yeah, I-I do."  
  
Her eyes opened wide in surprise. "Really?" she squeaked.  
  
He half-grinned at her in that way that always made her knees go weak, "Yes. I love you, Akane. I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to spend the rest of my life with you. That is, if you'll have me." Wow, had he really just said that? Amazing how the words just sort of came out once he'd started. Maybe he was getting better at this...  
  
She nodded, loosing herself in those blue eyes of his, windows to a soul so closely guarded, and yet it was there for her to see. Only for her. A tear slid down her cheek, and he sat on the edge of the bed, reaching up to wipe it away.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Absolutely nothing. I love you," she whispered. He placed a hand gently on her cheek.  
  
"Will you marry me then, Akane?"  
  
"Yes, of course I will."  
  
"I don't have a ring or anything, but..."  
  
"I don't care. Just kiss me."  
  
He leaned in and covered her lips with his, his hand caressing her face, hers pressed against his chest. She sank into his kiss, long and sweet and full of the love each felt for the other. Her tears flowed freely, so overcome with emotion was she. For once, there was no doubt or fear, only the world that existed in that small hospital room, populated only by the two of them. For once, everything was perfect.  
  
When they finally parted, he shifted around to hold her in his arms, leaning back against the head of the bed. She snuggled in his embrace, resting her head on his shoulder and her arms over his where they were wrapped protectively around her waist. A sigh issued from her mouth as she blinked dreamily.  
  
"I guess we're going to have to tell everyone about us."  
  
Ranma nodded in agreement, "Too bad, we won't get to fight anymore."  
  
She looked back at him, and they grinned at each other. "I wouldn't count on it sweetheart," she replied mischievously.

A/N: I know you were probably expecting something to go horribly wrong in the middle of this last scene, but it always bugs me when the best scenes get interrupted, so I did it my way this time. See you soon! Please review!  
  



	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Alas, we all knew this day would come. Yes, I'm afraid this is the final chapter of _Fortune's Fool_. However, since it sounds like people are interested and I think I was able to get the epilogue to do what I wanted it to do, I am planning on writing a sequel. I'll discuss this in more detail after the story. Btw, the epilogue is very short (about 200 words), so I just tacked it on to the end of this chapter. Also, it turns out this chapter is longer than I thought it would be. There were a couple of places where I had sort of just condensed potentially good scenes into about a paragraph, so when I retyped it I turned them into actual scenes. As it turns out, this is probably the longest chapter so far.

    Okay, I'll talk a bit more at the end. Here's the story!

Disclaimer: If you don't know, I'm certainly not gonna tell you.  ;)

Fortune's Fool

Chapter 7

The moon cast the only light upon Mousse, who was just finishing up with washing the evening's dishes. It was always his job to do the dirty work that no one else wanted, so he was often the last one to go to bed at night. It didn't really bother him most days; that just seemed to be his lot in life. But tonight was different.  
  
He carefully placed the last of the cooking ware he had recently washed into the cupboard. He sighed quietly, thinking, 'Done for the day. Now I can go to bed and start over again tomorrow.' His weary eyes turned to look out the window, into the darkness.   
  
"Nothing changes. I've been waiting all my life and nothing ever changes," he muttered, his mood as dreary as the cold night. Before his eyes, a shadowy image seemed to hover -- an image of a delicate, smiling face, surrounded by a cascade of lavender hair. Then her eyes lit up as she caught sight of a certain pigtailed martial artist and his heart sank into the pit of his stomach. 'I'm always a step behind -- always pursuing, never pursued. And in the end, I'm left alone in the dark. And still I wait.'  
  
'Why do I stay? She's in love with someone else. It would be better all around if I accepted that fact and went home, to China. So why do I stay?'  
  
A small noise from behind him interrupted his thoughts. Glancing back, he saw the object of his musings standing in the shadowy doorway, looking uncharacteristically meek.  
  
"Shampoo?" he asked, incredulous, brow furrowing slightly.  
  
"Hello Mousse," she said in a small voice. She wasn't entirely sure where to begin. It seemed to her that the usual tactics she used on Ranma would not work in this case. This was very different.  
  
She stepped forward, finally deciding to swallow her pride and take the direct approach. That was how she was normally most comfortable after all. "Mousse I..." the girl began, standing less than a foot from him, "I..." she placed her hands on his chest, then slid them up to his face as she moved closer. The boy's eyes widened gradually, before closing when their lips met.  
  
Mousse was so stunned by her actions that he could only stand there, wondering if he was dreaming. The kiss lingered, soft and inviting. Then the purple-haired girl pulled back, just an inch, and whispered, "I love you."  
  
He felt her warm breath dance over his skin as she uttered the words he had so longed to hear. It took a moment for him to realize what had happened. Shampoo had said she loved him! She loved _him_. She was looking deep into his turquoise eyes, searching for his response, but his brain couldn't seem to process the information fast enough. Finally, he managed to get his arms working again and did something he'd been yearning to do since the day he met her: he swept her up in his embrace and kissed her deeply, passionately, with all the tenderness he possessed. And the best part was that she was kissing him back.  
  
As his mouth moved over hers, he felt purely and completely happy, something he had not experienced for a very long time. It was as if, until now, there had been a void in his soul, one that only she could fill. And here he stood, this wonderful, fiery, Amazon beauty in his arms. It was better than he'd ever imagined. At last he was complete...and so was she.  
  
When they eventually came up for air, he regarded her in wonderment. "Shampoo, you have no idea how happy you've made me," he breathed. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, locked with his. For the first time in a very long while, she felt at peace.  
  
'Maybe losing control not so bad after all,' she thought with a smile.  
  
* * *  
  
The next evening, the members of the Tendo household sat at dinner, the usual conversation buzzing about the table. As they neared the end of the meal, Ranma and Akane exchanged a glance and Ranma spoke up in a serious tone of voice.  
  
"Hey everybody, um, Akane and I have something important to say. It's about the engagement." Everyone fell silent at this and turned to the couple, who kept their faces carefully neutral. Their respective fathers looked a bit nervous, knowing that if their children had decided once and for all that they would not marry, there was little their parents could do to about it. In spite of evidence to the contrary, both men knew that their children's happiness was more important than the dojo, and neither had the heart to force the marriage if it would truly make Ranma and Akane miserable. Nabiki on the other hand was fixing the couple with a quietly suspicious gaze, as though trying to read their minds through the front they were putting up, and Kasumi merely waited politely for Ranma to continue. All of them listened intently, for by the sound of his voice, they had made a decision.  
  
Ranma cast a glance about him, seeing he had their attention, and resumed speaking in a grave voice, "The two of us have discussed the matter thoroughly. As you all know, we fight almost constantly, I have several other fiancees, she has other suitors, and neither of us has any intention of being forced into something we don't want, especially marriage. So, in light of all these problems, we have come to a decision..." his eyes slid to meet her gaze, and a sly grin crept across his face, "We love each other, and we're going to get married."  
  
The reaction was exactly what they'd hoped for. Genma's jaw dropped in surprise and Soun burst into tears of joy, weeping into his stunned friend's shoulder. Kasumi gasped lightly, placing a hand to her chest, then smiled. She rushed around the table and drew the younger girl into a warm hug.  
  
"I'm so happy for you," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes, "I hoped you'd see it someday."  
  
Akane pulled back, a questioning expression on her face, "See what?"  
  
"How much you love him," the older girl replied simply. Akane smiled, and Kasumi could see a lightness of spirit in her sister that she hadn't seen since…before their mother passed away.  
  
Meanwhile, as the fathers danced a sort of celebratory jig around the room, Ranma had been dragged aside by Nabiki.  
  
"I was wondering how long you two were gonna sneak around before you told us," she drawled.  
  
Ranma raised his eyebrows, "You knew?"  
  
"Oh come now, my future brother-in-law, do you really think anything around here escapes my notice? You two have only been in love with each other for the past year or so. Did you think I wouldn't figure it out when you started sleeping together?" she smirked when his face paled in shock.  
  
"You, uh, *cough* knew about that?" he fidgeted embarrassedly, avoiding her eyes.  
  
Her smirk softened to amusement when she assured him, "It's not like I was spying on you or anything, I just happen to be a bit more observant than most. Fortunately for you, your fiancees are not."  
  
His brow furrowed at that, as he realized something, "Hey, if you knew all along, why didn't you sell the information or blackmail us or something, like you usually do?"  
  
Her usual hard as nails gaze turned thoughtful, and a rare, genuine sort of smile graced her features as she answered him, "I don't sell all my info, Ranma. Frankly, my sister's happiness is worth a lot more to me than anyone can pay -- even Kuno," she smirked at the last bit, "Which means I'll have to kill you if you hurt her."  
  
"I won't. I can promise you that." He smiled again, and Nabiki followed his gaze to Akane, who was positively glowing.  
  
'No, I believe you won't,' she thought, satisfied.  
  
* * *  
  
The light, pleasant sounds of a string quartet playing a simple nineteenth century European melody floated throughout the dojo. After much debate among the Tendos and Saotomes, the couple had decided on a Western style wedding, hence the distinctly un-Japanese music and attire. They had decided this mainly for the sake of simplicity, and because Akane was partial to the western style of dress.  
  
So now Ranma stood at the altar, waiting for the ceremony to start, fidgeting restlessly with his tie. He glanced around the room at his friends and family, all gathered there together. He was admittedly surprised that things were going so well, considering the sort of people that he and Akane tended to associate with. But all of the major concerns had been taken care of. He and Akane had finally managed to convince Kodachi and her infamous brother of Ranma's 'situation,' and told them both to back off. They were at the wedding, but so far were behaving themselves. Ranma kept an eye on them just in case.   
  
Shampoo, much to everyone's amazement, seemed to have fallen for Mousse, and the two of them sat very close together in the front row, holding hands and exchanging glances every so often. A diamond engagement ring could be seen glinting on the Amazon woman's ring finger. The pair had never looked happier.  
  
In the back corner of the room, mostly hidden in shadow, Ryoga watched silently. Ranma had noticed him coming in, but he knew Akane wasn't aware of his presence, as she was still in the house waiting for the ceremony to begin. It was the first he'd seen of the Lost Boy since that day in the park almost two months ago, when Akane had found out the truth about P-chan. He felt genuinely sorry for his friend when he saw his hollow, broken expression. Apparently he was still troubled by the way things had ended with Akane, and even Ranma was unsure how she would react if she discovered him.  
  
The only person missing was Ukyo; Ranma was saddened slightly at the thought. After she had attacked Akane she'd been placed in a mental institution. They weren't quite sure yet just what had happened. Ranma hadn't seen her since that day; He wasn't sure if he could forgive her for what she'd done -- for almost taking Akane away from him.  
  
The guests hushed and the music changed, bringing Ranma back to the present and back to his nerves. He tried valiantly to keep from twisting the hem of his jacket with his fingers, but it was a losing battle, something to which he was quite unaccustomed. Then all at once his breath caught in his throat as Akane appeared in the doorway.  
  
Her dress was made of simple but elegant white satin, and cut just off the shoulders, exposing her neck and the exquisite line of her collarbone. It had long sleeves that came to a soft point at her knuckles, covering the back of her hand. The back of the dress was slightly longer than the rest, creating a gentle train behind her. At the hem, cuffs, and neckline were sewn a thin border of tiny, pearl-like beads. Finally, a sheer, gossamer veil was draped over her face and ran down her back. Yet through it he could see those familiar brown eyes locked with his as she moved gracefully down the aisle toward him.  
  
They joined hands, their nerves calming at the contact. As the officiator began the ceremony, they both knew they weren't really listening. They just let his words wash over them, knowing in their hearts what they meant, focusing on each other, on the deep emotions that seemed to flow through their joined hands. When it came time to do so, they each said, "I do," and exchanged rings, all the while just barely aware of the other people in the room. Finally, they heard the words they'd been waiting for.  
  
"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."  
  
Ranma gladly obliged. The string quartet started up once again and the couple broke apart with smiles on their faces, turning to greet their guests and start the reception.  
  
"Ranma, Shampoo so happy for you!" the Amazon came up to him and glomped him, but not nearly as...forcefully as she used to. He instinctively tried to get away, watching out for Akane, but Shampoo let him go easily and laughed at his reaction. "No worry, Ranma. Shampoo love Mousse," she slipped her arm around her new fiancee as he came up behind her. Ranma relaxed when he saw the easy grin the young man was giving him.  
  
"Good," he said, "I'm really happy for you as well, Shampoo. Congratulations on your engagement."  
  
"Thanks," Mousse replied, and Ranma wondered at how strange it was that these friends of his had been trying to kill/marry him not all that long ago.  
  
He turned to greet the other guests, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ryoga slip out the side door. Changing direction, he pulled Akane aside.  
  
"Akane, Ryoga's here," her eyes darkened, "I just saw him go outside."  
  
"I don't want to see him." her voice was cold, but soft, and he saw through it.  
  
"Yes you do. I know you better than that. You can't stay mad at him forever and you know it. He's our friend, despite any mistakes he's made. I think you should talk to him, Akane-chan." A small smile played on her lips at the endearment.  
  
"Okay...Ranma-chan,"  
  
* * *  
  
"Ryoga,"  
  
Akane's voice spoke from behind him, making him stop in his tracks. He bowed his head for a moment, closing his eyes, then turned back halfway to look at her, part of him afraid to face her. "Akane, I...I thought you'd never speak to me again," he said quietly.  
  
She returned his gaze, brow lowered slightly in thought as she considered what exactly she wanted to say. "What you did was…wrong, Ryoga. You violated my privacy, and you deceived me, took advantage of me." He cringed visibly at her words but made no attempt to excuse his actions, and she softened a bit in spite of herself, "But..."  
  
A glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes and he listened intently as she continued, "I think I understand now why you did it, and I believe that you didn't intend to hurt me. I suppose in a way it's sort of a...a compliment."  
  
He met her eyes fully now, and she saw in them a mixture of pain and possibility. She took a deep breath and gave him the beginning of a smile, "I forgive you, Ryoga."  
  
He released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, his heart lighter now than it had been in months, since he'd seen her last. "Thank you," he paused, "and...congratulations."  
  
Her smile grew and she glanced toward the reception for a moment before turning back to Ryoga and saying, "Come on inside." He grinned and nodded, following her back into the dojo.  
  
* * *  
  
Ranma kept an eye on the door and was pleased to see both Ryoga and Akane rejoin the festivities. Late into the night everyone ate, drank, danced and visited. It was strange how easy his friendship with Ryoga had become now that they were no longer rivals for Akane's heart. She belonged to Ranma, as did he to her, and Ryoga had accepted that. Also, he was aware that Ranma had been quite influential in convincing Akane to forgive him, and for that he was extremely grateful. If Ryoga could not have her heart, at least he could have her friendship.  
  
Eventually the party wound down and the guests gradually went home. All the members of the Tendo household had drifted off to bed. All, that is, except the newlyweds, who remained in the dojo.  
  
Ranma had his arms around his wife, who leaned her head on his shoulder, eyes closed. He rested his chin on her hair, enjoying the feel of her body against his as they swayed gently in time to the soft music that drifted throughout the moonlit room.  
  
"Husband," she began playfully, pulling back a bit so she could see his face.  
  
"What is it, Wife?" he answered with a grin.  
  
She smiled up at him, "I was just thinking that, well, this was the first place you ever told me you loved me."  
  
"Yeah," he quirked an eyebrow, saying in an ironic tone of voice, "and before you could answer, the roof fell in, knocked you out cold and erased your memory." They both laughed.  
  
"Well," she said mischievously, "it looks as if we've been given a second chance. If you tell me again, maybe I'll answer this time."  
  
He leaned his forehead against hers. "Fair enough. I love you, Akane-chan," he half-whispered, "more than life itself."  
  
The unexpected sincerity brought tears to her eyes. "I know," she whispered, "And I love you, Ranma. I always will."  
  
They closed the distance between them, their lips affirming their words. In one kiss, they promised to share a lifetime, much more so than in the kiss they had shared in front of everyone at the ceremony. This time it was only the two of them. It wasn't heated and passionate, but rather long and deep, steady as a river, for they knew now that they had their whole lives together; there was no rush. It was their first real kiss as husband and wife.  
  
When they eased apart, Akane tucked her head down on Ranma's shoulder once more, until she heard him whisper, almost to himself, "Oh, I am fortune's fool..."  
  
"Hmm?" she questioned curiously, raising her head.  
  
"Oh nothing. Just something I read somewhere once. Might've been Shakespeare, I don't remember. It always sorta stuck in my head, but now it doesn't seem to make as much sense to me as it did once."  
  
She thought for a moment, "Well, maybe that's because you're no longer fortune's fool."  
  
He smiled, "I like the sound of that..."  
  
* * *  
  
Epilogue  
  
It was an ordinary day. The sun was high overhead, yet there was a light chill in the air, testifying to the approaching fall. It had been a little over three weeks since Ranma and Akane's wedding, and -- surprise, surprise -- Ryoga was lost.  
  
He wandered aimlessly yet tirelessly down a city street, failing to notice that it was the same one he'd been down at least four times since leaving the Tendo dojo, until he came upon a large building that he did recognize. It was the strangest thing; somehow, no matter what direction he set out in (not that he could tell the difference) he always ended up right back here.  
  
'That's weird,' he thought, 'I always used to end up at Akane's house, but now I keep finding this place.' He studied the sign that hung on the tall fence surrounding the grounds. _West Tokyo Mental Institution_, it read.  
  
'Why do I keep ending up at a mental institution?' he mused. It wasn't as if he knew anyone there. Well, pretty much everyone he knew was at least a little crazy, but not enough to get them institutionalized. He shrugged his shoulders and tried to pick a new direction to see if he could at least get out of Tokyo this time.  
  
He was completely unaware that he was being watched as he did so. High above him, peering coldly, blankly out of one of the windows of the building he'd been studying was a familiar brunette. Apparently, unbeknownst to him, one of his friends was crazy enough to be institutionalized.  
  
Once he was out of sight, Ukyo twitched the blinds shut and disappeared into her room.

A/N: So what do you think? If anyone has any comments/critiques pertaining to plot, writing style, etc., they would be greatly appreciated as they may assist me in writing the sequel. All I've really got so far is a main idea, a bit of brainstorming, and an active imagination, so every little bit helps. Since I haven't actually started writing yet I'm not sure how long it will take me to start posting, but I'm hoping to have something to show within a month or so.

    Here's a bit about the sequel (such as it is): For the most part it will be Ukyo/Ryoga, but I don't intend to abandon the other characters by any means. I'm thinking it will deal with Ukyo and her problems, going deeper into her psyche, as well as Ryoga's issues. I can't say much more than that or I might give something away, but if you have suggestions, I'm all ears!

    Anyway, In conclusion I want to thank you all for reading my first fanfic (and actually the first bit of fiction I've written for about four years). I've really enjoyed the experience, and look forward to continuing it. And thank you so much for all your wonderful reviews! I think I'm developing an addiction to them…

    Love you all, and see you soon!


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